Parenting is a key contributor to child development. The effects of parenting, however, also depe... more Parenting is a key contributor to child development. The effects of parenting, however, also depend on child characteristics, including genetic factors. A more complete appraisal of the role of parenting thus requires a comprehensive developmental model which explores questions about parenting behavior, child susceptibility to parenting, and child psychopathology. Moving forward, we need to not only be concerned about sample sizes that limit testing of comprehensive models but also the need to replicate findings across multiple settings and samples. A consortium which harmonises key measures offers the opportunity to examine these questions. The Developmental Research in Environmental Adversity, Mental health, BIological susceptibility and Gender (DREAM BIG) consortium includes six international longitudinal prospective birth cohorts to explore the early life origins of major psychiatric disorders in childhood. Here, we will provide a brief overview of parental care research, method...
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Background: There is currently little evidence concerning the impact of the inter-twin relationsh... more Background: There is currently little evidence concerning the impact of the inter-twin relationship on behavioral outcomes and yet the twin relationship is frequently hypothesized to be a unique source of psychopathology in twins. The current study asked whether the inter-twin relationship is a predictor of behavioral difficulties and whether there are zygosity differences in this relationship. Method: An Australian sample of same sex twins (N = 356, 164 MZ and 192 DZ) was studied in the year prior to school (Time 1) and again in first year of school (Time 2). Associations between twin-relationship and behavior problems were examined via path-analysis, and Satorra-Bentler chi-square difference tests were used to compare twins across zygosity. Results: Results show that both conflict and lower levels of warmth at Time 1 were predictive of hyperactivity and conduct disorder at Time 2, but they were not associated with emotional difficulties or peer problems. While DZ twins shared less warmth than MZ twins, there were no differences in behavior problems. Conclusion: Conflict and lower levels of warmth in the inter-twin relationship are associated with hyperactivity and conduct disorder and may serve as important considerations when making decisions regarding class separation at entry to school.
Bidirectional pathways between twin relationship quality and friendship quality were investigated... more Bidirectional pathways between twin relationship quality and friendship quality were investigated in a large longitudinal twin cohort. We examined negative and positive relationship features in 313 monozygotic (MZ) twins and 238 same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twins from ages 13 to 14 years, using latent structural modeling. Results showed stronger stability of the twin relationship quality compared to friendship quality. Positive features in the sibling relationship were associated with increased positive features in the relationship with the best friend a year later. In contrast, no significant association between negative sibling relationship features and change in negative friendship quality features was found. These findings speak to the important role of the sibling relationship in the development of good quality friendship relations in twins.
In the present study, we examine short‐ and long‐term associations between shyness and socio‐emot... more In the present study, we examine short‐ and long‐term associations between shyness and socio‐emotional difficulties from early to middle childhood. Participants in this study were part of the Matter of the First Friendship Study (MOFF), a large‐scale multi‐wave longitudinal study. At Time 1, N = 555 4‐year‐old children were recruited from childcare centers and followed across four data collections. At four timepoints of data collection, teachers rated children's shyness and indices of socio‐emotional difficulties (i.e., internalizing difficulties, peer problems) from age 4 to 7 years. Parents provided background and demographic information. Results from growth curve analyses showed that shyness was concurrently associated with emotional difficulties and problems with peers at each time point. However, shyness at age 4 years did not significantly predict the longitudinal trajectory of socio‐emotional difficulties across childhood. Overall, these results indicated that concurrent levels of shyness are associated with socio‐emotional difficulties, however, whether shyness serves as a distal predictor of socio‐emotional difficulties from early to middle childhood remains less clear.
Background and Aims: Knowledge of carrying a fetus with a prenatal diagnosed anomaly may cause ac... more Background and Aims: Knowledge of carrying a fetus with a prenatal diagnosed anomaly may cause acute psychological stress to the parents. Most studies focus on maternal stress, yet fathers are often present at the ultrasound examinations and birth, and therefore may be affected, similarly, to the expectant mother. However, to date no existing studies have examined how detection of a fetal anomaly emotionally affects the expectant fathers throughout the pregnancy. Our aim was to longitudinally examine general health perceptions, social dysfunction and psychological distress in a subgroup of men where fetal anomaly was detected during pregnancy. Methods and Results: This study is part of the SOFUS study, a prospective, longitudinal, observational study. Participants were recruited when referred for an ultrasound examination conducted by a specialist in fetal medicine at Oslo University Hospital on suspicion of fetal malformation (study group). We examined differences between the men in the study group (N = 32) and a comparison group (N = 83) on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Impact of Event Scale (IES) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EDPS) across four time points in pregnancy. Results from repeated measured ANOVA suggests that depression decreased over time among men in both groups (η 2 = 0.15, p < 0.001). This effect was stronger in the study group, and differed from the comparison group (η 2 = 0.08, p < 0.001). There was also a main effect of time on IES scores, which decreased over time for both men in the study group and in the comparison group (η 2 = 0.32, p < 0.001). That is, men in the study group were higher on IES initially, but this effect decreased more in the study group than in the comparison group. Men in the study group and comparison group did not differ on perceived general health (GHQ: p = 0.864). Conclusion: Results suggests that detection of a fetal anomaly has implications for paternal mental health during pregnancy. Expectant fathers scored higher on EPDS and IES than the comparison group in the acute phase after detection of fetal anomaly, thus there is impetus to provide psychological support for fathers, as well as mothers, at this difficult time.
International Journal of Epidemiology, Sep 8, 2017
Background: Prenatal exposure to maternal anxiety has been associated with child emotional diffic... more Background: Prenatal exposure to maternal anxiety has been associated with child emotional difficulties in a number of epidemiological studies. One key concern, however, is that this link is vulnerable to confounding by pleiotropic genes or environmental family factors. Methods: Data on 82 383 mothers and children from the population-based Mother and Child Cohort Study and data on 21 980 siblings were used in this study. Mothers filled out questionnaires for each unique pregnancy, for infant difficulties at 6 months and for emotional difficulties at 36 months. The link between prenatal maternal anxiety and child difficulties were examined using logistic regression analyses and multiple linear regression analyses for the full study sample and the sibling sample. Results: In the conventional full-cohort analyses, prenatal exposure to maternal anxiety was associated with child difficulties at both 6 months [odds ratio (OR) ¼ 2.1 (1.94-2.27)] and 36 months [OR ¼ 2.72 (2.47-2.99)]. The findings were essentially the same whether we examined difficulties at 6 months or at 36 months. However, these associations were no longer present once we controlled for potential social and genetic confounders in the sibling comparison analyses, either at 6 months [OR ¼ 1.32 (0.91-1.90)] or at 36 months [OR ¼ 1.28 (0.63-2.60)]. Findings from multiple regression analyses with continuous measures were essentially the same. Conclusions: Our finding lends little support for there being an independent prenatal effect on child emotional difficulties; rather, our findings suggest that the link between prenatal maternal anxiety and child difficulties could be confounded by pleiotropic genes or environmental family factors.
BackgroundFew studies have examined how parenting influences the associations between prenatal ma... more BackgroundFew studies have examined how parenting influences the associations between prenatal maternal stress and children's mental health. The objectives of this study were to examine the sex-specific associations between prenatal maternal stress and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and to assess the moderating effects of parenting behaviors on these associations.MethodsThis study is based on 15 963 mother–child dyads from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). A broad measure of prenatal maternal stress was constructed using 41 self-reported items measured during pregnancy. Three parenting behaviors (positive parenting, inconsistent discipline, and positive involvement) were assessed by maternal report at child age 5 years. Child symptoms of internalizing and externalizing disorders (depression, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and oppositional-defiant disorder) were assessed by maternal report at age 8. Analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling techniques.ResultsPrenatal maternal stress was associated with child internalizing and externalizing symptoms at age 8; associations with externalizing symptoms differed by sex. Associations between prenatal maternal stress and child depression, and conduct disorder and oppositional-defiant disorder in males, became stronger as levels of inconsistent discipline increased. Associations between prenatal maternal stress and symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in females were attenuated as levels of parental involvement increased.ConclusionsThis study confirms associations between prenatal maternal stress and children's mental health outcomes, and demonstrates that these associations may be modified by parenting behaviors. Parenting may represent an important intervention target for improving mental health outcomes in children exposed to prenatal stress.
This study examined longitudinal development of prosocial behavior, assessed by the parent-report... more This study examined longitudinal development of prosocial behavior, assessed by the parent-reported Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire, and inhibitory control, measured by the Opposite Worlds Task, in a sample aged 9 and 12 years (n=9468, 49,9% girls, 85.8% White) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. The goal was to assess whether the level of prosocial behavior at age 9 relates to change in inhibitory control, and vice versa. Sex differences were also explored. Latent change score models showed that low inhibitory control in boys at age 9 was associated with more decreases in prosocial behavior from 9 to 12 years of age. This may suggest that interventions targeting inhibitory control in boys may also foster their social competence.
Preschool children Children who attend daycare, typically between 1 and 6 years of age. Protectiv... more Preschool children Children who attend daycare, typically between 1 and 6 years of age. Protective (factor) A developmental event or characteristic in the child or the environment that decreases (i.e., moderates) or compensates for the risk of an unwanted outcome. Risk (factor) A developmental event or characteristic in the child or the environment that increases the likelihood of an unwanted outcome. Social environment * This encompasses peer-perceived popularity status, family functioning, and socioeconomic status. Working memory * A child's score on the digit span test is a measure of working memory.
Prenatal maternal anxiety has been associated with both short and long-term mental health problem... more Prenatal maternal anxiety has been associated with both short and long-term mental health problems in the child. The current study aims to examine the association between maternal and paternal prenatal anxiety and behaviour problems in the child at 1.5 and 5 years, using three different approaches; (1) adjusting for covariates, (2) using fathers' anxiety during pregnancy as a negative control, and (3) using a sibling-comparison design, controlling for unmeasured family factors. We used data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) is used. MoBa is a cohort consisting of about 114 000 pregnancies (about 34000 siblings) recruited from 1999 to 2008. Self-reported measures on maternal anxiety were obtained twice in pregnancy and 6 months after birth, while paternal anxiety was reported prenatally at 17 th weeks of gestation. Maternal reports on child behaviour problems were obtained at 1.5 and 5 years of age. Results suggests that prenatal exposure to maternal anxiety was associated with behaviour problems at 1.5 years: adjusted beta (β) = 0.13 (CI = 0.12, 0.15), and at 5 years: β = 0.11 (CI = 0.09, 0.14). However, paternal anxiety was also associated with behaviour problems at 1.5 years: β = 0.03 (CI = 0.01-0.03) and at 5 years β = 0.03 (CI = 0.02, 0.03). These associations were attenuated in the sibling comparison analyses: β =-0.02 (CI =-0.02-0.05) at 1.5 years and β =-0.05 (CI =-0.10, 0.02) at 5 years. In conclusions, the sibling analyses are not consistent with a direct effect of prenatal maternal anxiety on child behaviour problems. It is more likely that genetic or shared family environment explain this association.
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, Sep 14, 2022
IntroductionThe detection of a fetal anomaly during routine obstetric ultrasound is a potentially... more IntroductionThe detection of a fetal anomaly during routine obstetric ultrasound is a potentially traumatic experience. The aim of this study is to examine longitudinally the impact of diagnosis of fetal anomaly on symptoms of depression and traumatic stress among mothers and fathers, and to examine how variations in psychological adjustment relate to diagnostic severity and prognostic ambiguity.Material and methodsIn this prospective observational study conducted at a tertiary perinatal referral center, 81 mothers and 69 fathers with ultrasound findings of fetal anomaly completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Impact of Events Scale (IES) at four time points in pregnancy (T1–T4) and 6 weeks after birth (T5). We compared this with depression and traumatic stress in a sample of non‐affected parents (n = 110 mothers, 98 fathers).ResultsLinear mixed effects models indicated that parents who received a diagnosis of fetal anomaly experienced higher levels of depression and traumatic stress over time, compared with non‐affected parents. Depression: mean difference mothers = 4.46 ± 0.47, fathers = 2.80 ± 0.42. Traumatic stress: mean difference mothers = 20.04 ± 2.13, fathers = 12.66 ± 1.74. Parents with a more severe diagnosis experienced elevated symptoms compared with parents with a less severe diagnosis. Among mothers, prognostic ambiguity and changes in the anticipated diagnosis after birth were also associated with increased distress, regardless of whether the change was for the better or worse.ConclusionsDiagnosis of fetal anomaly increases risk of depression and traumatic stress in expectant mothers and fathers, both acutely and over time.
European Journal of Developmental Psychology, Mar 9, 2016
Abstract Resilience can be evidenced when an exposure to potentially traumatic event (PTE) has no... more Abstract Resilience can be evidenced when an exposure to potentially traumatic event (PTE) has no negative impact on behavior. This study explored the effects of exposure to PTE applying a longitudinal design with 592 children (mean age 4 years) followed across three years. Children who had experienced a PTE and those who had not, were compared over time. Behavioral difficulties and prosocial behaviour for children experiencing PTE did not differ from those who had not experienced a PTE suggesting resilience among the exposed children. PTE in itself seems to carry minimal risk for symptoms of behaviour difficulties among preschool children.
The goal of this prospective longitudinal study was to explore whether co-occurrent internalizing... more The goal of this prospective longitudinal study was to explore whether co-occurrent internalizing difficulties and aggression in early childhood convey increased risk for later mental health problems in middle childhood. Participants were mothers from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), who provided assessments of child internalizing difficulties and aggression at ages 3 years ( n = 54,644; 26,750 girls) and 5 years ( n = 38,177; 18,794 girls), as measures of child depressive, anxiety, conduct-related, and oppositional defiant (OD) symptoms at age 8 years. Using latent profile analyses (LPA) of internalizing difficulties and aggression, four profiles were identified: low-symptom/normative; primarily internalizing; primarily aggressive; and co-occurrent. Among the other results, the co-occurrent group exhibited the highest levels of depressive, anxiety, and oppositional defiant symptoms at 8 years. Most children (78%) remained stable in their profile between a...
STUDY QUESTION Do expectant parents experience increased anxiety and depression during pregnancie... more STUDY QUESTION Do expectant parents experience increased anxiety and depression during pregnancies conceived through ART compared to spontaneous conception? SUMMARY ANSWER Among all expectant parents in the sample, those who conceived through ART reported overall lower levels of anxiety and depression in pregnancy compared to expectant parents who conceived spontaneously, while in the subsample of parents who conceived both through ART and spontaneous conception, expectant mothers experienced increased anxiety and depression in early pregnancy following ART compared to spontaneous conception. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Previous research on expectant parents’ psychosocial adjustment in response to ART has found mixed results, with some studies suggesting ART is associated with increased anxiety and depression, and other studies suggesting improved mental health or no relationship. Mixed findings may relate to the use of cross-sectional designs that do not account for confounding differenc...
Parenting is a key contributor to child development. The effects of parenting, however, also depe... more Parenting is a key contributor to child development. The effects of parenting, however, also depend on child characteristics, including genetic factors. A more complete appraisal of the role of parenting thus requires a comprehensive developmental model which explores questions about parenting behavior, child susceptibility to parenting, and child psychopathology. Moving forward, we need to not only be concerned about sample sizes that limit testing of comprehensive models but also the need to replicate findings across multiple settings and samples. A consortium which harmonises key measures offers the opportunity to examine these questions. The Developmental Research in Environmental Adversity, Mental health, BIological susceptibility and Gender (DREAM BIG) consortium includes six international longitudinal prospective birth cohorts to explore the early life origins of major psychiatric disorders in childhood. Here, we will provide a brief overview of parental care research, method...
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Background: There is currently little evidence concerning the impact of the inter-twin relationsh... more Background: There is currently little evidence concerning the impact of the inter-twin relationship on behavioral outcomes and yet the twin relationship is frequently hypothesized to be a unique source of psychopathology in twins. The current study asked whether the inter-twin relationship is a predictor of behavioral difficulties and whether there are zygosity differences in this relationship. Method: An Australian sample of same sex twins (N = 356, 164 MZ and 192 DZ) was studied in the year prior to school (Time 1) and again in first year of school (Time 2). Associations between twin-relationship and behavior problems were examined via path-analysis, and Satorra-Bentler chi-square difference tests were used to compare twins across zygosity. Results: Results show that both conflict and lower levels of warmth at Time 1 were predictive of hyperactivity and conduct disorder at Time 2, but they were not associated with emotional difficulties or peer problems. While DZ twins shared less warmth than MZ twins, there were no differences in behavior problems. Conclusion: Conflict and lower levels of warmth in the inter-twin relationship are associated with hyperactivity and conduct disorder and may serve as important considerations when making decisions regarding class separation at entry to school.
Bidirectional pathways between twin relationship quality and friendship quality were investigated... more Bidirectional pathways between twin relationship quality and friendship quality were investigated in a large longitudinal twin cohort. We examined negative and positive relationship features in 313 monozygotic (MZ) twins and 238 same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twins from ages 13 to 14 years, using latent structural modeling. Results showed stronger stability of the twin relationship quality compared to friendship quality. Positive features in the sibling relationship were associated with increased positive features in the relationship with the best friend a year later. In contrast, no significant association between negative sibling relationship features and change in negative friendship quality features was found. These findings speak to the important role of the sibling relationship in the development of good quality friendship relations in twins.
In the present study, we examine short‐ and long‐term associations between shyness and socio‐emot... more In the present study, we examine short‐ and long‐term associations between shyness and socio‐emotional difficulties from early to middle childhood. Participants in this study were part of the Matter of the First Friendship Study (MOFF), a large‐scale multi‐wave longitudinal study. At Time 1, N = 555 4‐year‐old children were recruited from childcare centers and followed across four data collections. At four timepoints of data collection, teachers rated children's shyness and indices of socio‐emotional difficulties (i.e., internalizing difficulties, peer problems) from age 4 to 7 years. Parents provided background and demographic information. Results from growth curve analyses showed that shyness was concurrently associated with emotional difficulties and problems with peers at each time point. However, shyness at age 4 years did not significantly predict the longitudinal trajectory of socio‐emotional difficulties across childhood. Overall, these results indicated that concurrent levels of shyness are associated with socio‐emotional difficulties, however, whether shyness serves as a distal predictor of socio‐emotional difficulties from early to middle childhood remains less clear.
Background and Aims: Knowledge of carrying a fetus with a prenatal diagnosed anomaly may cause ac... more Background and Aims: Knowledge of carrying a fetus with a prenatal diagnosed anomaly may cause acute psychological stress to the parents. Most studies focus on maternal stress, yet fathers are often present at the ultrasound examinations and birth, and therefore may be affected, similarly, to the expectant mother. However, to date no existing studies have examined how detection of a fetal anomaly emotionally affects the expectant fathers throughout the pregnancy. Our aim was to longitudinally examine general health perceptions, social dysfunction and psychological distress in a subgroup of men where fetal anomaly was detected during pregnancy. Methods and Results: This study is part of the SOFUS study, a prospective, longitudinal, observational study. Participants were recruited when referred for an ultrasound examination conducted by a specialist in fetal medicine at Oslo University Hospital on suspicion of fetal malformation (study group). We examined differences between the men in the study group (N = 32) and a comparison group (N = 83) on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Impact of Event Scale (IES) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EDPS) across four time points in pregnancy. Results from repeated measured ANOVA suggests that depression decreased over time among men in both groups (η 2 = 0.15, p < 0.001). This effect was stronger in the study group, and differed from the comparison group (η 2 = 0.08, p < 0.001). There was also a main effect of time on IES scores, which decreased over time for both men in the study group and in the comparison group (η 2 = 0.32, p < 0.001). That is, men in the study group were higher on IES initially, but this effect decreased more in the study group than in the comparison group. Men in the study group and comparison group did not differ on perceived general health (GHQ: p = 0.864). Conclusion: Results suggests that detection of a fetal anomaly has implications for paternal mental health during pregnancy. Expectant fathers scored higher on EPDS and IES than the comparison group in the acute phase after detection of fetal anomaly, thus there is impetus to provide psychological support for fathers, as well as mothers, at this difficult time.
International Journal of Epidemiology, Sep 8, 2017
Background: Prenatal exposure to maternal anxiety has been associated with child emotional diffic... more Background: Prenatal exposure to maternal anxiety has been associated with child emotional difficulties in a number of epidemiological studies. One key concern, however, is that this link is vulnerable to confounding by pleiotropic genes or environmental family factors. Methods: Data on 82 383 mothers and children from the population-based Mother and Child Cohort Study and data on 21 980 siblings were used in this study. Mothers filled out questionnaires for each unique pregnancy, for infant difficulties at 6 months and for emotional difficulties at 36 months. The link between prenatal maternal anxiety and child difficulties were examined using logistic regression analyses and multiple linear regression analyses for the full study sample and the sibling sample. Results: In the conventional full-cohort analyses, prenatal exposure to maternal anxiety was associated with child difficulties at both 6 months [odds ratio (OR) ¼ 2.1 (1.94-2.27)] and 36 months [OR ¼ 2.72 (2.47-2.99)]. The findings were essentially the same whether we examined difficulties at 6 months or at 36 months. However, these associations were no longer present once we controlled for potential social and genetic confounders in the sibling comparison analyses, either at 6 months [OR ¼ 1.32 (0.91-1.90)] or at 36 months [OR ¼ 1.28 (0.63-2.60)]. Findings from multiple regression analyses with continuous measures were essentially the same. Conclusions: Our finding lends little support for there being an independent prenatal effect on child emotional difficulties; rather, our findings suggest that the link between prenatal maternal anxiety and child difficulties could be confounded by pleiotropic genes or environmental family factors.
BackgroundFew studies have examined how parenting influences the associations between prenatal ma... more BackgroundFew studies have examined how parenting influences the associations between prenatal maternal stress and children's mental health. The objectives of this study were to examine the sex-specific associations between prenatal maternal stress and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and to assess the moderating effects of parenting behaviors on these associations.MethodsThis study is based on 15 963 mother–child dyads from the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). A broad measure of prenatal maternal stress was constructed using 41 self-reported items measured during pregnancy. Three parenting behaviors (positive parenting, inconsistent discipline, and positive involvement) were assessed by maternal report at child age 5 years. Child symptoms of internalizing and externalizing disorders (depression, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and oppositional-defiant disorder) were assessed by maternal report at age 8. Analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling techniques.ResultsPrenatal maternal stress was associated with child internalizing and externalizing symptoms at age 8; associations with externalizing symptoms differed by sex. Associations between prenatal maternal stress and child depression, and conduct disorder and oppositional-defiant disorder in males, became stronger as levels of inconsistent discipline increased. Associations between prenatal maternal stress and symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in females were attenuated as levels of parental involvement increased.ConclusionsThis study confirms associations between prenatal maternal stress and children's mental health outcomes, and demonstrates that these associations may be modified by parenting behaviors. Parenting may represent an important intervention target for improving mental health outcomes in children exposed to prenatal stress.
This study examined longitudinal development of prosocial behavior, assessed by the parent-report... more This study examined longitudinal development of prosocial behavior, assessed by the parent-reported Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire, and inhibitory control, measured by the Opposite Worlds Task, in a sample aged 9 and 12 years (n=9468, 49,9% girls, 85.8% White) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. The goal was to assess whether the level of prosocial behavior at age 9 relates to change in inhibitory control, and vice versa. Sex differences were also explored. Latent change score models showed that low inhibitory control in boys at age 9 was associated with more decreases in prosocial behavior from 9 to 12 years of age. This may suggest that interventions targeting inhibitory control in boys may also foster their social competence.
Preschool children Children who attend daycare, typically between 1 and 6 years of age. Protectiv... more Preschool children Children who attend daycare, typically between 1 and 6 years of age. Protective (factor) A developmental event or characteristic in the child or the environment that decreases (i.e., moderates) or compensates for the risk of an unwanted outcome. Risk (factor) A developmental event or characteristic in the child or the environment that increases the likelihood of an unwanted outcome. Social environment * This encompasses peer-perceived popularity status, family functioning, and socioeconomic status. Working memory * A child's score on the digit span test is a measure of working memory.
Prenatal maternal anxiety has been associated with both short and long-term mental health problem... more Prenatal maternal anxiety has been associated with both short and long-term mental health problems in the child. The current study aims to examine the association between maternal and paternal prenatal anxiety and behaviour problems in the child at 1.5 and 5 years, using three different approaches; (1) adjusting for covariates, (2) using fathers' anxiety during pregnancy as a negative control, and (3) using a sibling-comparison design, controlling for unmeasured family factors. We used data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) is used. MoBa is a cohort consisting of about 114 000 pregnancies (about 34000 siblings) recruited from 1999 to 2008. Self-reported measures on maternal anxiety were obtained twice in pregnancy and 6 months after birth, while paternal anxiety was reported prenatally at 17 th weeks of gestation. Maternal reports on child behaviour problems were obtained at 1.5 and 5 years of age. Results suggests that prenatal exposure to maternal anxiety was associated with behaviour problems at 1.5 years: adjusted beta (β) = 0.13 (CI = 0.12, 0.15), and at 5 years: β = 0.11 (CI = 0.09, 0.14). However, paternal anxiety was also associated with behaviour problems at 1.5 years: β = 0.03 (CI = 0.01-0.03) and at 5 years β = 0.03 (CI = 0.02, 0.03). These associations were attenuated in the sibling comparison analyses: β =-0.02 (CI =-0.02-0.05) at 1.5 years and β =-0.05 (CI =-0.10, 0.02) at 5 years. In conclusions, the sibling analyses are not consistent with a direct effect of prenatal maternal anxiety on child behaviour problems. It is more likely that genetic or shared family environment explain this association.
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, Sep 14, 2022
IntroductionThe detection of a fetal anomaly during routine obstetric ultrasound is a potentially... more IntroductionThe detection of a fetal anomaly during routine obstetric ultrasound is a potentially traumatic experience. The aim of this study is to examine longitudinally the impact of diagnosis of fetal anomaly on symptoms of depression and traumatic stress among mothers and fathers, and to examine how variations in psychological adjustment relate to diagnostic severity and prognostic ambiguity.Material and methodsIn this prospective observational study conducted at a tertiary perinatal referral center, 81 mothers and 69 fathers with ultrasound findings of fetal anomaly completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and Impact of Events Scale (IES) at four time points in pregnancy (T1–T4) and 6 weeks after birth (T5). We compared this with depression and traumatic stress in a sample of non‐affected parents (n = 110 mothers, 98 fathers).ResultsLinear mixed effects models indicated that parents who received a diagnosis of fetal anomaly experienced higher levels of depression and traumatic stress over time, compared with non‐affected parents. Depression: mean difference mothers = 4.46 ± 0.47, fathers = 2.80 ± 0.42. Traumatic stress: mean difference mothers = 20.04 ± 2.13, fathers = 12.66 ± 1.74. Parents with a more severe diagnosis experienced elevated symptoms compared with parents with a less severe diagnosis. Among mothers, prognostic ambiguity and changes in the anticipated diagnosis after birth were also associated with increased distress, regardless of whether the change was for the better or worse.ConclusionsDiagnosis of fetal anomaly increases risk of depression and traumatic stress in expectant mothers and fathers, both acutely and over time.
European Journal of Developmental Psychology, Mar 9, 2016
Abstract Resilience can be evidenced when an exposure to potentially traumatic event (PTE) has no... more Abstract Resilience can be evidenced when an exposure to potentially traumatic event (PTE) has no negative impact on behavior. This study explored the effects of exposure to PTE applying a longitudinal design with 592 children (mean age 4 years) followed across three years. Children who had experienced a PTE and those who had not, were compared over time. Behavioral difficulties and prosocial behaviour for children experiencing PTE did not differ from those who had not experienced a PTE suggesting resilience among the exposed children. PTE in itself seems to carry minimal risk for symptoms of behaviour difficulties among preschool children.
The goal of this prospective longitudinal study was to explore whether co-occurrent internalizing... more The goal of this prospective longitudinal study was to explore whether co-occurrent internalizing difficulties and aggression in early childhood convey increased risk for later mental health problems in middle childhood. Participants were mothers from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), who provided assessments of child internalizing difficulties and aggression at ages 3 years ( n = 54,644; 26,750 girls) and 5 years ( n = 38,177; 18,794 girls), as measures of child depressive, anxiety, conduct-related, and oppositional defiant (OD) symptoms at age 8 years. Using latent profile analyses (LPA) of internalizing difficulties and aggression, four profiles were identified: low-symptom/normative; primarily internalizing; primarily aggressive; and co-occurrent. Among the other results, the co-occurrent group exhibited the highest levels of depressive, anxiety, and oppositional defiant symptoms at 8 years. Most children (78%) remained stable in their profile between a...
STUDY QUESTION Do expectant parents experience increased anxiety and depression during pregnancie... more STUDY QUESTION Do expectant parents experience increased anxiety and depression during pregnancies conceived through ART compared to spontaneous conception? SUMMARY ANSWER Among all expectant parents in the sample, those who conceived through ART reported overall lower levels of anxiety and depression in pregnancy compared to expectant parents who conceived spontaneously, while in the subsample of parents who conceived both through ART and spontaneous conception, expectant mothers experienced increased anxiety and depression in early pregnancy following ART compared to spontaneous conception. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Previous research on expectant parents’ psychosocial adjustment in response to ART has found mixed results, with some studies suggesting ART is associated with increased anxiety and depression, and other studies suggesting improved mental health or no relationship. Mixed findings may relate to the use of cross-sectional designs that do not account for confounding differenc...
Introduksjon Kunnskap om hva som fører til vansker og fravaer av vansker hos ungdom, har betydnin... more Introduksjon Kunnskap om hva som fører til vansker og fravaer av vansker hos ungdom, har betydning om man skal klare å veilede barn og unge i deres vurderinger og valg i løpet av ungdomstiden. I skolen vil man som laerer og rådgiver vaere i tett kontakt med barn og unge i en sårbar periode i livet, og dermed kunne utøve stor innflytelse i ungdommers utviklingsforløp. Kunnskap om resiliensprosesser vil således kunne fremme god psykisk tilpasning hos ungdommer som opplever vansker i og rundt hjemmet. I løpet av livet vil de fleste av oss oppleve, eller ha erfaringer med, belastninger av varierende grad. Det kan vaere belastninger som tap av en naer relasjon, mobbing, opplevelse av vold, mishandling og omsorgssvikt, eller det kan vaere lettere belastninger som for eksempel økonomiske vansker eller skilsmisse. For mange vil naturlig nok alvorlige belastninger føre til dårligere mental helse, men slik er det ikke for alle. På 1970-og 80-tallet oppdaget forskere at omtrent halvparten av barna som vokste opp under vanskelige forhold, for eksempel alvorlig omsorgssvikt, ikke utviklet psykiske vansker. Dette fenomenet førte til bruken og forståelsen av begrepet Resiliens. I forskningen så man altså at barn og unge responderte på risiko forskjellig. Noen kunne fremstå som svaert robuste, mens andre reagerte negativt. Resiliens handler om å forstå hvordan individuelle forskjeller samspiller med miljø. Norm Garmezy var en av pionerene innen utviklingen og studie av Resiliens tidlig på 1970-tallet. Han var inspirert av forskning som viste at selv barn som vokste opp med schizofrene mødre, kunne vise god tilpasning (Rutter, 2012). Det var forståelsen av dette fenomenet som gjorde at en rettet oppmerksomheten mot de barna det gikk bra med, altså mot Resiliens. Det ble videre klart gjennom Garmezys forskning (Garmezy, Masten & Tellegen, 1984) og andres (se for eksempel oversiktsartikkelen til: Rutter & Silberg, 2002) at effekten og påvirkningen av alvorlige belastninger ikke uten videre kun involverte bare gener eller bare faktorer i miljøet, men at gener var avhengig av variasjoner i miljøet (Rutter, 2006b). Med utgangspunkt i denne forskningen kan man forstå Resiliens som: Prosesser som gjør at utviklingen når et tilfredsstillende resultat, til tross for at barn har erfart situasjoner som innebaerer en relativt stor risiko for å utvikle problemer eller avvik (Borge, 2010). I denne definisjonen er det lagt vekt på at Resiliens omhandler prosesser mellom individ og miljø. Resiliens finnes altså i den store individuelle variasjonen man ser i individenes respons på alle typer stress, elendighet og lidelser (Rutter, 2006a).
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